Transculturalism

Introduction

Transculturalism (orig. transculturatión) is a concept of cultural encounter and its consequences for society, political, and economical structures as well as cultural identities. Coined by Fernando Ortiz in 1940 for phenomena within the society of Cuba and as a proper substitute for acculturation, it reappears prominently with the cultural turn in 1990s and is mostly associated with the philosopher Wolfgang Welsch who published an article with the term transculturalism in its title in 1998.

Definition

Transculturalism highlights the very complex transmutations of culture that can be phased in acculturation, deculturation, and neoculturation. Acculturation focuses on the transition of one culture into another culture and the acquisition of features of this new culture; deculturation is the parallel process that ends in a loss or uprooting of home culture; transculturation highlights the creation of new cultural phenomena.